Page:History of Utah.djvu/305

&emsp; band. A call was made for volunteers of young and able-bodied men, and in April a company was organized, with Brigham Young as lieutenant-general, Stephan Markham colonel, John Pack major, and fourteen captains. The company consisted of 143 persons, including three women, wives of Brigham Young, Lorenzo Young, and Heber C. Kimball. They had 73 wagons drawn by horses and mules, and loaded chiefly with grain and farming implements, and with provisions which were expected to last them for the return journey.

Early in April a detachment moved out of Winter Quarters for the rendezvous on the Elkhorn, and on the 14th the pioneer band, accompanied by eight members of the council, began the long journey westward in search of a site for their new Zion. If none were found, they were to plant crops and establish a settle- ment at some suitable spot which might serve as a base for future explorations.

The route was along the north branch of the Platte, and for more than 500 miles the country was bare of